Method and apparatus for coiling wire



- April 14, 1.931. c. A. H. MULDER 1,801,102

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COILING WIRE Filed Sept. 7, 1.929 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Co n lis .H. ulcler, WZM/ Patented Apr. 14,1931

UNITEDS-TATES PATENT OFFICE CORNET-IS A. H. HOLDER, OI EINDHOVEN,NETHERLANDS, ASSIGNOB T GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01' NEWYORK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COILING WIRE Application filed fieptember7, 1929, Serial No. 391,099, and in the Netherlands September 25, 19 28.

- It is well known that wire can be coiled intoa helix by using a corearound which the wire is wound. In case it is desired to wind helices oflarge diameter, such as springs, the core is usually a rod; however, ifit is desired to wind a long helix of small diameter, such as iscommonly employed as a filament for electric incandescent lamps, thecore is a wire of indefinite length, around which the 10 filament wireis wound. The process in the first case is not continuous, while in thesecond' case diificulties may be encountered in removing the core.

Coiling devices are known for coiling a wire into the shape of a helixwithout using a core, but in which the helix is made by a rotating spinewhich operates in conjunction with one or more rollers. The wire isbrought in between the surfaces of the rollers and the surface of thespine and the rollers engage it atsuch a point and in such a way thatthe wire is not subjected to frictional forces when guided between thesesurfaces.

In accordance with the method of the invention the wire is moved forwardbetween at least two shaping-surfaces, which cooperate to form aguidefor a certain predetermined length of the wire, and whereby atleast one of these surfaces has a relative motion with reference to thepath which the wire is following. Thus, the wire will be subjected to aforce due to friction which will cause the desired transformation orshaping to take place, or which at least will assist in it. The guidingof, a certain predetermined length of the wire is in contradistinctiontothe int or purely local guid ng of the w1re in t e previous coilingdevices above described. The length of the path along which the wire isguided can, for example, about the same as the diameter of the helixinto which it is being coiled.

According to the present invention the wire is guided along the shapingsurfaces 1n such a manner that it is gradually or substantiallygradually transformed from a straight w re into a helix. This method hasthe advantage that the wire may be fed into the apparatus with lowtension, and further, that the wire will suffer less than it would whentransformed suddenly from a straight wire into a helix. Experience hasshown that there exists a maximum speed limit for winding at which thewire breaks, due to the sudden transformation from a straight wire intoa helix. By using a gradual transformation this maximum speed may beraised and thus it will be possible to obtain an appreciable increase inthe speed ofroiling.

During the coiling process the shaping surfaces exert on the wire forcesdue to friction which can be regulated by changing the pressure of thesurfaces on the wire by hydraulic means or by springs.

After the wire has assumed the shape of a helix it may, according to theinvention, be guided for a certain distance along the surface of acylinder or of a slightly divergent cone, so that the wire will be heldas a certain definite helix for a time and will, thereafter, 70 have anopportunity to unbend gradually to a slight extent to relieve strains.Also, due to this arrangement the helix'will be subected to a certainforce propelling the helix lengthwise.

According to the invention, one or both of the sha ing-surfaces can bemade as rotating-sur aces. Where only one of these surfaces is arotating-surface the other surface is made of such a character that bothsurfaces cooperate and together form a guide for a certain length of thewire. The axes of rotation of the rotating surfaces may be in alignmentor they may be parallel to each other, or they may intersect or crosseach other. This latter arrangement is recommended in case it is desiredto manufacture helices with a pitch which is only a little greater thanthe diameter of the wire.

According to the invention, the shaping surfaces can have a relativemotion with regard to each other. The pitch of the helix can becontrolled both by this motion and by the rate of feed of the wire whichis to be coiled. However, as the path which the wire follows between theshaping surfaces and the forces which act upon the shaping surfacesmaybe changed due to this control, it is desirable that care be takenthat one of the shaping surfaces can change its position we withouttension.

with regard to the other in order to agree with this change, andtherefore, it may be desirable to exert a cross-force on one of thshaping surfaces.

According to the invention, a lubricant can be applied during thecoiling, either by oiling the shaping surfaces or by oiling the wireitself. This has the advantage that the shaping surfaces and the wireare subjected to less wear and, further, that the coeflicient offriction is more constant than in the case of surfaces which are notlubricated.

The wire may be heated during the coiling process. For example, iftungsten wire is heated to 700 degrees (Centigrade), it will becomeappreciably softer and after its transformation it will spring back toonly a very slight extent. If the shaping surfaces retain the same orapproximately the same hardness at this temperature as at roomtemperature the coiling will take place easier and the wear of theshaping surfaces will be small. It is preferable to heat the wire byelectricity and to use the shaping surfaces, or the device by which thewire is fed, as electrodes, in order that the heating of the electrodesmay be comparatively slight while the heating of the wire is great.

The helices may be manufactured with or When manufacturing springs, atension is usually desirable. According to the invention, this tensioncan be obtained by making the speed of feed of the wire a function ofthe force by which it is pulled by the shaping surfaces. By retardingthe feed of the wire in a suitable manner, 'as for example, by applyingbrakes, it is possible to obtain any desired tension in the wound wire.Leather makes a desirable brake, with the advantage that the coefficientof friction increases with the speed of feed of the wire, andconsequently the coiling is v very uniform.

Apparatus constructed according to the present invention comprises atleast two shapers of which the cooperating and substantiallycomplementary surfaces form together a guide for a certain predeterminedlen h of the wire fed from a reel of the wire to e coiled, and alsomeans to produce a relative motion between at least one of these shapersand the path which the wire is followlng.

The supply of wire can be mounted on a spool which rotates around theshapers, in which case shapers may be stationary, or may be given arelative motion with reference to each other. Inthis case it is possibleto'take precautions so that the manufactured helix does not rotate as itcomes out of the appa-' ratus.

It is also possible to keep the supply of wire stationary and to givea'movement to the shapers. In this case; these shapers may or may nothave a relative motion with regard to each other. The manufactured helixwill, in this case, rotate as it comes out of the apparatus.

The shapers can be designed in such a manner that the wire will betransformed gradually or nearly gradually from a straight Wire to ahelix, and in this case both shapers may preferably be made as rotatingsurfaces.

However, this is not essential, as itis also possible to make only oneof the shapers as a rotating surface and to design the other shaper insuch a way that it, together with the rotating surface, forms a guidefor the wire over a certain distance. In the case Where both shapers areconstructed as rotatcreases the pressure which is exerted by the shaperson the wire.

According to one construction in accordance with the invention, one ofthe shapers has a cone-shape, while the other has the shape of a singlerotating hyperboloid. In order to be assured of the correct position ofthe one shaper with reference to the other,

and also in order to be ablefco regulate the pitch of the helix in aconvenient manner the shapers, according to the invention, can bemounted in such a way that they will align themselves with reference toeach other.

According to the invention a helix guiding device with a cylindrical orslightly diverging surface can be used in conjunction with the shapers.This device may form part of one of the shapers and may also beinstalled in such a way that its surface joins or forms 3 a continuationof the surfaces of these shapers.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the shapers areinstalled in a bath of'oil, or the wire runs through a lubricatingdevice.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention means areprovided to heat the Wire during the coiling. This heating can be doneelectrically by using the shapers or thereel of wire as electrodes andby conducting the current from one shaper through the wire to the othershaper or to the reel of wire.

The invention will best be understood in connection with theaccompanying drawing and will be explained in detail by referring.

to the drawing which shows some of the forms in which the device may beconstructed in accordance with the invention, and in which Fig. 1 is aperspective viewof the shapers of one form of the device with tworotating sha l ig. 2 is a rspective view of the shapers of a second ormof the device with one of the shapers stationary;

Fig. 3 is a view with one shaper in perspective and the other in lon'tudinal section;

Fig. 4, a side view 0? one of the shapers extending to form a helixguide integral with the shaping portion; Fig. 5, a side view of asimilar shaper but with the helix in part;

1%. 6, a viewof two rotating shapers with one s own in longitudinalsection to show the detail of the tip;

Fig. 7, a plan view partly in section of a third form of the device withrotating shapers;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a form of device much like that shown in Fig.7 but mounted guide separate from the shapin a bath of oil in a tankshown in longitudie nal section; 1

Fig. 9, a plan view partly ingsection, of a form of device much likethat shown in Fig. 7, but with the axes of rotation of the shapers inalignment and with a wire spool on the driving pulley;

Fig. 10, a plan view partly in section of a modification of Fig. 9;

Figs. 11, 12,'and 13, vector diagrams of the relative speeds of theshaping surfaces and the wire;" r

Fig. 14, a side view showing the shapers with their axes of rotation inalignment and Fig. 15 with their axes parallel and out of ali 'ent;

ig. 16, an enlarged view of a wire coiled by the previously knownmethods; and

Fig. 17, an enlarged view of a wire coiled in accordance with thisinvention.

The framework and driving mechanism of a coiling machine constructed inaccordance the form of device shown in with this invention aresubstantially the same as is commonly used in coiling machines. Theshapers by means of which the wire is coiled into 'a helix are, mountedin the desired relation to each other, one or both being mounted in anywell-known way so as to rotate, and tobe driven by belts or similardriving mechanism. Fig. 1 shows two shapers 10, and 11, both ofwhichrotate in the same direction about axes of rotation which intersector cross near the point where the coil'is formed. For clearness ofillustration the bearings, supporting framework and driving mechanism,for the two shapers. are omitted. The shaper 10 is conical, and thecooperating shaper 11 has the form of a hyperboloid with acentral-throat or opening slightly larger than the helix formed when thewire is coiled. A helix guide 12, which is tubular and has a slightlydivergent bore, isjoined at its small end to the hyperboloid .in to theouter diameter of a turn of the he ix. As the 'wire passes lengthwisealong the portion A B of its path between the shapers it will "betransformed gradually from a straight Wire into a helix which will bedelivered through the central throat or opening'in the shaper 11 intothe tubular helix guide 12, which, as best shown in Fig. 3, has acylindrical bore from C to 'D, and beyond D it flares slightly so thatits bore is slightly conical and is lar er at the de-.

-livery end than at D. The s apers 10 and 11 are mounted in such amanner that their axes intersect or cross, as clearly shown in Figs. 1and 3. Due to their rotation both shapers have a movement relative tothe path followed by the wire 13, and their relative speeds of rotationmay be such that they also have a definite speed of movement withreference to each other.

Fig. 2 shows another construction in which the rotating shaper 10operates in c0njuno- 1 tion with a stationary shaper 15 of the samegeneral contour as the shaping surface of the shaper 11 and so set withrelation to the conical shaper 10 that the wire 13 passing between thesetwoshapers is guided for.

a certain part of its path by the shapers, much as in Fig. 1, and isconverted into a helix. Fig. 4 shows the shaper 11 modified, if desired,by the omission of the cylindrical portion C D of the bore, so that thehelix is delivered directly bore of the helix guide 12.

Fig. 5 shows a modification form of the shaper 11 of Fig. 3 in which thehelix guide 12 is independent of the shaper 11, so that. if desired theshaper and helix guide may have a relative motion about the same axis ofrotation. A modified form of the shaper 10 is shown in Fig. 6. In thismodification different parts of the shaping surface mayv move relaintothe diverging tively to each other during the bodily rota-.

tion of the shaper as a Whole. One way of securing such a relativemovement of parts of the shaper surface is tov construct the shaper 10in two parts,'one a tubular portion 17 having a shaping surface like afrustum of a cone, and the other a-conical tip at the end of the portion17 to form the apex of the cone and mountedon a shaft 18' extendingthrough the bore of the tubular portion. 17 so that the portion 17 andthe tip 18 may both bedriven separately and at diflerefit III speeds, sothat the tip 18 has, durin the rotation of the shaper, a movementrelative to the tubular portion 17.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 7 the partsof the machine are mounted on a table or frame F. In this figure theshapers 10 and 11 are set substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, sothat their axes of rotation intersect. The shaper 10 is supported by aself-aligning roller bearing 21, and is driven by the pulley 22. Theroller bearing 21 isfastened to the end of a stud 23 which is mounted onand is adjustable along a quadrant or curved member 24 bent to the arcof a circle of which the center is at the apex of, the conical shaper10. The rotatable shaper 11 and its bearings forms part of a structuresomewhat like the headstock of a lathe, and is made in the end of atubular shaft 11w by making a recess shaped as indicated at 11 in Figs.1 and 3, the bore of the tubular shaft forming the helix guide 12 shownin Figs. 3 and 4. A perforatedthrust block 25 rests in a recess in theother end of the shaft 11a with its perforation in registry with thebore of the shaft so that the helix can pass throu h the shaftlengthwise and out through the b ock. By means of this thrust block 25,which is secured to a crossbar. controlled by springs 26 attached to theends of the crossbar and to the one of the bearing blocks of theheadstock, the shaft 11a with the shaper 11 on its end is yieldablypressed against the conical shaper 10. The shaft and the shaper 11 arerotated by the pulle 27 secured to the shaft, and the wire 13 is ed intoplace between the shapers 10 and 11 by a wire feed device comprisingfeed rolls 28 and 29, preferably driven at a speed which bears adefinite and predetermined speed to the speed of rotation of the shapers10 and 11 so that the speed of the wire feed is a function of the pullexerted on the wire by the rotating shapers. The roller bearing 21permits the shaper 10 to align itself properly in the cavity of theshaper 11 and to contact at its apex at a point inside the helix withthe shaper 11. The angle of intersection of the axes of rotation of thetwo shaperscan be adjusted by moving the stud 23 on the quadrant member24.

The shapers 10 and 11; and associated mechanism may be driven from adrive shaft 30 mounted on the frame F and provided with pulleys 30a and30b, preferably differing in size, for driving through belts the pulley22 for the shaper 10 and the ulley 27 for the shaper 11. .The drive shaft may also drive the feed rolls 28 and 29 through a worm gear drive 300.In the articular arrangement shown the shaper 10 1s driven faster thanthe shaper 11, but both shapers may be driven at the same speed, or theshaper 11 can be driven faster than the shaper 10, if desired. i

.. The wire may conveniently be heated during the winding by insulatingthe headstock and the quadrant member 24, or the wire feed rolls, fromthe frame and connectingthe headstock to one terminal of the secondarywinding of a transformer Gr, the primary shown in Fig. 7, in which casethe wire is heated bythc current flowing through it from the shapers tothe feed rolls.

The wire may be'lubricated to-facilitate winding and maintain thecoeflicient offfriction between the shapers and the wire substantiallyconstant, thereby permitting more accurate coiling and also reducing thewear on the shapers. The wire may be lubricated by a lubricator Hconsisting of a grooved roller in a cup of lubricant before it passes tothe shapers, or the shapers ma be submerged in oil, as shown in Fig. 8,in w 'ch the shapers are mounted in an oil tank 0 containing enough oilto keep the shapers submerged.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9 a winding spool 31 rotates on aball-bearing around a post 32, one end of which constitutes a shaper 10which is conical. The post 32 projects from a holder 33 adjustable on acurved or arc-shaped member 34. A wire reel 35 is mounted on the windingspool 31 and the wire 13 which is to be wound is fed from the reel tothe shapers 10and 11. By selecting the relative speeds correctly thespiral wound in this manner will-not rotate as it leaves the shaper 11.v

The modification shown in Fig. 10 has a pin 37 with its end conical toform the sha or 10, and also has a winding spool 38. mt a wire reel 39.This 'windmg spool rotates on the post 40 which is stationary and whichis mounted on the su port 41. The pin 37 with the conical end. ormingthe shaper 10 is adjustably mounted on the winding spool by means of thecurved plate 42. This 'makes it possible to set the pin 37 in such amanner with reference to the shaper 11 that the axes of rotation oftheshapers intersect or cross each other. In order' to fulfill this lastrequirement it is desirable that the plate 42 be' universally adjustableon the spool 38, so that it can be set in allpossible positions on thewinding spool 38. If the winding spool 38 is now rotated the pin 37 willfollow this rotation andtheshaper ,10 will also.

rotate.

The-diameter bf the wound helix is fixed The pitch of the helix can beadjusted by changing the shape or the relative position of theshapingsurfaces, but this can be also accomplished by changing the speedof feed of the wire and/or the speed of the shaping surfaces asindicated by the vector diagrams Figs. 11, 12, and 13, showing therelative speeds and the forces exerted'on the wire.

In Fig. 11 the speed at a certain spot of. the shaping surfaceisindicated by V, and the speed of feed of the wire by V The relativespeed of the wire with regard to the shaping surface has a magnitude anddirection, which are indicated by a and b in Fig. 11.

In Fig. 12 the speed of rotation of the shaping surface is the same, butthe speed of feed of the wire is less, that is V is less than V Therelative speed is again indicated by a and b In Fig. 13 the speed offeed of the wire a is equal to the speed V in Fig. 11. The speed ofrotation of the shaping surface is now V which is less'than V. Therelative speed is again indicated by a and b The force of the frictionexerted by the shaping surface will be a function of its relative speedand is indicated in the figures by W and W2 and W8 respectively. It isless in Fig. 12 than in Fig. 11 and in Fig. 13 it isdirected morecrosswise to the path of the wire than tating helix guide and therebyexert a comtically uncoiled in Fig. 11, which shows that with a definitespeed of the shaping surface the pitch can be made larger by decreasingthe speed of feed of the Wire, and that the pitch can be made smaller bydecreasing the speed of the shaping surfaces with reference to the pathof the wire, and vice versa.

Byperiodical change of these factors, it is ossible to wind helices withvarying pitch. It is even possible to manufacture helices withinterposed straight parts in this manner. However, this also is possibleby making a certain definite selection of the speeds. of the shapingsurfaces with regard to the'path of wire, of the shape of the shapingsurfaces, and of their relative position, of the speed of feed anddirection of feed of the wire, so that helices may even bemadeconsisting of coils wound in opposite directions. After a certain numberof these turns have been made,

they will unbend in the slightly divergent roparatively strong pullingforce, which -may reach such a value, that the wire is pulled throughbetween the shaping surface with the result that a turn with a largepitch will appear. However, when this takes place, then the adjoininturns have moved on over such a distance t at they no lon er exert apulling.force,and consequently t e shaping surfaces will proceed to windthe wire again .fiS a helix. In this manner straight or pracparts can bemade at definite intervals.

'.As indicated in Figs. 14 and 15 the sha ers may be mounted in such amanner that t eir axes of rotation either coincide, as in Fig. 14 or areparallel as in Fig. 15.

The wire wound into a helix in accordance with the method of theinvention shows as a characteristic one or more polished figures in theshape of ribbons or lines, which are caused by the pressure or frictionof the shaping surfaces. These figures may be observed clearly in amicroscope, as shown in Fig. 16, which is an enlargement of a wire woundin accordance with the present known method,

and Fig. 17, which is an enlargement of a wire wound in accordance withthe invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates'is:

1. The method of coiling a wire into a helix without a core, whichcomprises passing a wire lengthwise between two adjacent shapingsurfaces which cooperate to guide the wire for a predetermined distancealong and toward the inner end of a spiral path having its inner endcurved to substantially an arc of a circle, simultaneously moving atleast one of said surfaces and the wire in said path relatively to eachother and transversely of said path and thereby bending the wire into acoil, and moving said coil bodily lengthwise for a predetermineddistance along and in contact with cylindrical walls.

which form an extension of one of said wire tance along and toward theinner end of a.

spiral path having its inner end curved to substantially an arc of acircle and thereby bending the wire into a coil, and simultaneouslymoving at least one of said surfaces and the wire in said pathrelatively to each other and transversely of said path.

3. The method of coiling a wire into a helix without a core, whichcomprises passing a wire lengthwise between two adjacent shapingsurfaces which approximately complement each other and rotate in thesame direction at different speeds about intersecting axes, said shapingsurfaces being in contact at .a point inside the helix and cooperatingto glide the wire between them for a predetermined distance along andtoward the inner end of a spiral path having its inner end curved tosubstantially an arc of a circle and vthereby bending the wire into acoil, and

so without a core, ,which comprises passing lengthwlse between twoadjacent shaping sur- .tively wire lengthwise between two adjacentshaping surfaces which approximately complement each other and whichhave a relative motion with reference to each other and which cooperateto guide the wire between them for a predetermined distance along andtoward the inner end of a spiral path having its inner end curved tosubstantially an arc of a circle and thereby bending the wire into acoil, and simultaneously moving at least one of said surfaces and thewire in said path relatively to each other and transversely of saidpath. 1 v

5. The method ofcoiling a wire into a helix without a core, whichcomprises passing lengthwise between two adjacent shaping surfaces whichapproximately complement each other a wire at a speed which is afunction of the pull exerted on said wire'by said surfaces and guidingthe wire between said surfaces for a predetermined distance along andtoward the inner end of a spiral path having its inner end curved tosubstantially an arc of a circle to bend the wire into a coil, andsimultaneously moving at least one of said surfaces andthe wire in saidpath relato each other and transversely'o f said path.

6. The method of coiling a wire into a helix faces which approximatelycomplement each other a wire at a speed which is a function of the pullexerted on said wireby said. surfaces, guiding said wire between saidsurfaces for a predetermined distance along and toward the inner end ofa spiral path having its inner end curved to substantially an arc of acircle to bend the wire into a coil, simultaneously moving at least oneof said surfaces and the wire in said path relatively to each other andtransversely of said path, and varying the pitch of said coil by varyingthe relative speeds ,of said shaping surfaces.

7 The method of coiling a wire into a helix without a core, whichcomprises passing lengthwise between two adjacent shaping surfaces whichapproximately complement each other a wire at a speed which is afunction of r the pull exerted on said wire by said surface, guiding thewire betweerfsaid surfaces for a predetermined distance along and towardthe inner end of a spiralpath having its inner end curved tosubstantially an arc of a circle to bend the wire into a coil,simultaneous-.

ly moving at least one of said surfaces and the wire in said pathrelatively to each othervand transversely of said path, and varying thepitch of said coil by varying the relative speeds of said wire andsaidshaping surface. Y

8. In a wire-coiling machine, the combination of a conical shaper, acooperating shaper havin a recess in the form of a hyperboloid whichsubstantially com lements said conical shaper to forma guide orapredetermined length of a wire between said surfaces, means for feedinga wire lengthwise between the surfaces of said shapers, and drivers,'anddriving mechanism for actuating,

said shapers to produce between their'surfaces and said wire a relativemovement transversely of the path of said wire. 10. In a wire-coilingmachine, the comb1- nation of two adjacent shapers having opposingsurfaces which substantially complement each other to form a ide for aprede termined length of a wire etween said surfaces, one of saidshapers being concave and having'a central throat, a tubular helix guidehaving a cylindrical bore with walls which form. an extension of thewalls of said throat, 'meansfor feeding a wire lengthwise between thesurfaces of said shapers, and dr1v1ng mechanism for actuating one ofsaid shapers to produce between its surfaces and sa1d wire a relativemovement transversely of the path of said wire. 11. In a wire-coilingmachine,'the combination of two adjacent shapers having op-- posingsurfaces which substantially complement each other to form a guide for aredetermined length of a wire between sa1d surfaces, one of said shapershaving the form of a hyperboloid with a central throat and a tubularextension with a cylindrical bore, means for feeding a wire lengthwisebetween .the surfaces of said shapers, and driving j mechanism foractuating. one of said shapers to produce between its surface and sa1dwire a relative movement transversely of the path of said-wire.

12. In a wire-coiling machine, the 'comblna'- tion of two shapersmounted to rotate about axes that intersect, said shapers havingopposing surfaces which substantially comple- .ment each other to guidea wire between said surfaces for a'predetermined distance alon a spiralpath terminating in a curve whic forms an arc of a turn of a helix,means for feeding a wire lengthwise between the surfaces of saidshapers, and driving mechanism for actuating said shapers to producebetween their surfaces and said wire a relative movement transversely ofthe path of said wire.

13. In a wire-coiling machine, the combination of two shapers havingopposing surfaces which substantially complement each other to guide awire between said surfaces for a predetermined distance along a spiralpath terminating in a curve which forms an arc of a turn of ahelix,means for feeding a wire lengthwise between the surfaces of saidshapers, and driving mechanism for actuating said shapers to produce arelative movement between them and thereby a relative movement betweentheir surfaces and said wire transversely of the path of said wire.

14. In a wire-coiling machine, the combination of two adjacent shapershaving opposing surfaces which substantially complement each other toform a guide for a predetermined length of a wire between said surfaces,

means for pressing said shapers toward each other to maintain them inengagement with the wire between them, a winding ool mounted to rotateabout an axis exten in through the centers of said shapers, an therebywind a wire on said spool into place between said shapers, and drivingmechanism' for said winding spool.

15. In a wire-coiling machine, the combination of two adjacent shapershaving opposing surfaces which substantially complement each other toform a guide for a predetermined length of a wire between said surfaces,means for pressing said shapers toward each other to maintain them inengagement with the wire between them, a winding spool mounted to rotateabout an axis extendin through the centers of said shapers, one 0 saidshapers being mounted to rotate with said winding spool, and drivingmechanism for driving said winding spool and said shaper.

16. In a wire-coiling machine, the combination of two adjacent insulatedshapers having opposing surfaces which substantially complement eachother to form a guide for a predetermined length of a wire between saidsurfaces, means for pressing said shapers toward each other to maintainthem in engagement with the wire between them, a source of current withits terminals connected to said shapers to ass current from one shaperto the other to eat the wire between them,

and driving mechanism for actuating said.

shapers. I

17. In a wire-coiling machine, the combination of two adjacent shapershaving opposing surfaces which complement each other and form a guidefor a predetermined length of wire between said surfaces, a self-alignmgbearin on which one of said shapers rotates, means or feeding a wirelengthwise between said surfaces, and driving mechanism for saidrotatable shaper.

18. In a -coiling machine, the combination of two adjacent shapershaving opposing surfaces which complement each other and form a guidefor a predetermined 1e of wire between said surfaces, said and: j

